Muskogee superintendent says 7 fewer bus drivers forced route consolidations ahead of school start
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Mendenhall told the board that Muskogee Public Schools began the new year with seven fewer drivers, consolidating two full bus routes and eliminating roughly 26 stops — mostly elementary — while prioritizing safety and planning to revisit routes as staffing changes.
Superintendent Dr. Mendenhall told the Muskogee Public Schools Board of Education on Aug. 12 that the district opened school with seven fewer bus drivers than at the end of the previous school year, forcing the district to consolidate routes.
Dr. Mendenhall said the district has lost two full bus routes and canceled about 26 stops, adding that most of the canceled stops affect elementary students. The district reviewed student addresses and routing points and said no student is expected to walk more than about 0.7 miles; the district also said it will not reassign stops that force children to cross major thoroughfares.
District staff said they will respond to individual situations: if parents report children waiting at the curb, staff will send personnel to pick them up when feasible. Dr. Mendenhall warned that adding stops back can lengthen routes and delay arrival times, and she urged parents to contact the district with concerns so staff can address them case by case.
Dr. Mendenhall described limited staffing at the bus barn during route time and said the district is working to add drivers but did not provide a timeline. The district characterized the priority as student safety and indicated it will evaluate whether to restore routes if staffing increases.